“A patronising approach to older generations needs to be put to rest,” he commented, claiming that over-50s are just as confident with accessing the web as those in younger age groups.

New data

The CEO’s claims are backed up by a new study from iProspect, conducted on 1,012 consumers across Britain, which show that 80% of 50-59 year olds do not believe age to be a barrier to using the internet.

Other readings suggest this perception only increases with age, as 88% of 60-69 year olds shun the idea of their birth date influencing how much they know about technology.

By siding with this view, they also speak in opposition to the 70% of 30-49 year olds who consider age to carry a huge influence on technical know-how.

Trendsetters

The research also showed that underestimating the older generation should not be in the best interests of e-retailers, with iProspect finding no difference in attitudes towards online shopping in Brits aged 30 to 70.

Older generations are however more likely to be interested in ‘reverse showrooming’, the practice of researching online and buying in-store.

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Richard Towey

Richard is a former head of content at PerformanceIN. After many years spent covering developments from the automotive, sports, travel and finance sectors, he eventually turned his full attention to reporting on stories from the fast-evolving world of digital marketing.